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2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.) I

W. RUDOLPH. ELEGTRIG IGNITER FOR GAS LIGHTING. No. 560,284. Patented May 19, 1896.

(No Model.) Y 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

W. F. RUDOLPH ELECTRIC IGNITER FOR GAS LIGHTING.

No. 560,284. Patented May 19, 1896.

ANDREW IGRAHAM. PHOTO-[HMO WAsmNGTmLD C.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM F. RUDOLPH, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO IVILLIAM E. BARROWVS, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC IGNITER FOR GAS-LIGHTING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 560,284, dated May 19, 1896.

' Application filed September 6, 1895, Serial No, 561,606. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. RUDOLPH, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Igniters for Gas-Lightin g, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has relation to an electric ig- IO niter for gas-lamps of the class wherein one of the electrodes is fixed to the burner and the other is movable to and from the fixed electrode; and it relates particularly to the construction and arrangement of such an ig- I 5 niter and to the mechanism for actuating the same about its longer axis.

The principal objects of my invention are, first, to provide a simple, durable, and efficient igniter for electrically lighting gaslamps; second, to provide in such an igniter a fixed electrode, an electrode movable around its longer axis and provided with an arm adapted to make and break the contact with the fixed electrode, and, third, to provide in 2 5 such an igniter having the fixed and movable electrodes mechanism for rotating the movable electrode about its longer axis.

My invention consists of an electric igniter for gas lamps constructed, arranged, and 0 adapted to be operated in substantially the manner hereinafter described and claimed.

The nature, characteristic features, and scope of my invention will be more fully understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, and in which Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a lamp and igniter, showing in full and dotted lines the difierent positions of the movable eleco trode and of the mechanism for rotating said electrode about its longer axis. Fig. 2 is a top or plan view of the lamp and igniter, showing in full lines the position of the fixed electrode and in full and dotted lines the varying 5 positions of the arm carried by the movable electrode to make and break the circuit. Fig. 3 is a front elevational view, enlarged, of a portion of the movable electrode and illustrating in detail the mechanism for rotating the same. Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of Fig. 3, and Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively front and top views of a modified form of the igniter.

Referring to the drawings, (t represents the burner of the gas-lamp, which, as illustrated, is preferably of the form or type known as a Welsbach lamp.

1) represents the fixed electrode, secured to the burner a and projecting over the gas-opening 0 of said burner. The movable electrode consists of a vertical portion or shaft (Z and a substantially horizontal arm (1'. The vertical portion or shaft 61 is supported and has bearings, as at (Z and d of a bracket 0, which is secured to and insulated from the burnerframe a. The lower end of the vertical portion or shaft d by preference is surrounded by a coiled spring f, one end of which is secured to the shaft 01 and the other end engaging the bracket e.

The lower end of the shaft cl terminates in a toe or downwardly and inwardly projecting. arm g, the outer face of which is beveled, as at g. Directly below this toe and rotating on a pin h, secured to the bracket (2, is a lever 'i, the shorter end j of which is wedge shaped or beveled and adapted to slide when turned in one direction under the toe g, and to raise the same to rotate the shaft (Z of the movable electrode in its bearings d and (F. The lever 2' is confined on the pin h by means of a binding-post h, and a spiral spring 72, is interposed between the bindingpost'h and the lever t, as indicated more clearly in Fig.

4. \Vhen the short arm fot the lever i is turned in the reverse direction, its under side slides over the beveled face 9 of the too 9, the spring 7L2 permitting of the necessary movementlongitudinally on the pin h of the lever i. In the form shown in Figs. 1 to 4 the longer arm 7c of the lever t' is secured by a link Z to one arm of the stop-cock m and to said lever c', in connection with an insulated button or washer Z. This stop-cock m is operated, preferably, by means of a chain or cord n, connected with each end of the same, whereby, through said link connection I, the said cock m, as indicated by the full and dotted lines in Fig. 1, may be turned in either direction.

In the modification illustrated in Figs. 5

and 6 the arm is of the lever 'iis operated directly by a cord 0 and spring 1), one end of which spring 12 is secured to the arm is and the other end is secured to the binding-post h of the bracket 6. In the two forms illustrated in the drawings the fixed electrode consists of a straight arm I), over which the arm (1 of the movable electrode d is adapted to slide to establish a contact and thereby produce a spark for igniting the gas issuing from the burner.

The current is by the wire q to the bindingpost h and then to the movable electrode d. The return of the current is through the fixed electrode 11, the burner a, and gas-pipe to ground.

In operation, with reference to Figs. 1 to at, inclusive, the turning of the stop-cock key m, to permit the flow of gas to the burner will, through the link Z, shift the lever-arm 7c in a downward direction, the beveled arm j sliding under the toe g of the shaft (Z, there by rotating the said shaft sufficiently to cause the horizontal arm cl thereof to slide over the fixed electrode 1), to cause a spark, so as to ignite gas escaping from the burner a. As the arm is still travels downward the beveled arm j will pass entirely under the toe g, when the spring f will return the shaft cl to its nor mal position that is to say, will withdraw the arm (1 from contact with the fixed electrode b and out of the path of the flame escaping from the burner-opening c. When the cock m is turned to shut off the gas, the beveled arm j is returned to its normal position--that is, with the point of its wedgeshaped surface directly in line with the under surface of the toe g. As hereinbefore explained, in its return movement the arm j slides over the toe g and is pressed outward thereby under the tension of the spring k which, when the arm j clears the toe will cause the arm j to assume its normal position.

In the modification illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 the cord e, when pulled, serves to operate the arm j and the shaft (Z, while the spring 19 serves to return the arm j to its initial position. The shaft d at the upper end isinsulated from the burner a by means of a strip of mica 9 or other suitable substance or material.

Having thus described the nature and objects of my invention, what I claim asnew, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An electric igniter for gas-lighting, consisting of a fixed electrode projecting over the burner-opening, an electrode having a rotary motion about its longer axis, a spring adapted to normally turn said electrode out of contact with said fixed electrode, a lever adapted when depressed to rotate, during a portion of its movement, the movable electrode against the influence of its spring into contact with the fixed electrode and said lever during the remainder of its movement adapted to permit the movable electrode to rotate under the influence of its spring out of contact with the fixed electrode, substantially as described.

2. An electric igniter for gas-lighting, consist-ing of a fixed electrode projecting over the burner-opening, a movable electrode, a bracket supporting the same, a lever adapted when moved in one direction to axially rotate the movable electrode in the bracket to cause the same to be brought into and out of contact with the fixed electrode, a stop-cock, and a link connecting the stop-cock with the lever operating said fixed electrode, substantially as described.

3. In combination with a burner provided with a fixed electrode projecting over the opening of the burner, a movable electrode provided with a contact, a bracket insulated from the burner and forming a bearing for the shaft of the movable electrode, a beveled toe formed with the lower portion of said movable electrode, a spring mounted on the shaft of said movableelectrode, one end of said spring being secured to said shaft and the other to said bracket, a lever pivoted to said bracket and provided with a beveled arm, a spring mounted on the pivotal support of said lever, the construction being such that when said lever is moved in one direction its beveled arm engages the toe of the movable electrode to turn the same in its bearings against the tension of its spring and to cause the contact-arm to slide over the fixed electrode, and when said lever is moved in the opposite direction its beveled arm slides over the toe against the tension of said levenspring, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WM. F. RUDOLPH.

Vitnesses:

J. WALTER DOUGLASS, THOMAS M. SMITH. 

